Twenty practical and concrete tips for being a responsible and effective college or university trustee are listed in this one-page article. These tips are grouped under three headings: (1) be involved; (2) guidelines for participating in board meetings; and (3) you are responsible for your own education. (KC)

Concerns about ethics in college administration and governance stem from a variety of sources, including competition, decreasing resources, growing scale and impact of higher education, and consumer sophistication. Trustees must be conscious of ethical dilemmas and conflicts of interest and take responsibility for their conduct and decisions. (MSE)

Boards can reconcile necessary deviations from openness by recognizing the need to balance three public interest values: the public's right to know, the individual's right to privacy, and the institution's obligation to operate effectively. This was the conclusion of an AGB symposium reviewing Harlan Cleveland's book, "The Costs and Benefits…

The rankings of colleges and universities in a recent news magazine are meaningless, confusing, and dangerous, encouraging the kind of competition that puts higher education at risk. (Author/MSE)

When new governing board leaders are needed, just attracting more trustees with leadership potential is not sufficient. Succession planning, used in industry and government, ensures a continuing flow of strong leadership. It is not a procedure, but a flexible strategy that can ensure the board's effectiveness and the institution's health. (MSE)

The United States has the world's largest, most diverse, and most responsive system of higher education. The key reason for this accomplishment is that responsibility resides with governing boards composed of interested citizens of diverse backgrounds. (MLW)

Helpful queries on planning, marketing and financial management are given whose answers can bring a trustee closer to understanding the college's problems. They grew out of an important AGB project in cooperation with the Young Presidents' Organization. (LBH)

New trustees who begin their board service with incomplete explanations or unrealistic expectations might find their tenure unsatisfying. After hearing the unvarnished truth-in-expectation, the new trustee will walk into the board relationship with eyes wide open. (MLW)

A national survey of the individuals who serve as college governing board secretaries revealed highly varied institutional characteristics, job responsibilities, and overall roles in the organization. (MSE)

One of the major issues about college retirement programs is that of investment options and transferability of TIAA and/or CREF funds to alternative funds. Basic principles to be considered by college trustees involved in review or revision of their institution's pension plan are discussed. (MLW)

When a college president remains after a successor takes over, the potential for chaos is high. Suggestions from presidents and former presidents are presented. (MLW)

Important first steps in the search and selection process of presidents and chancellors are outlined by the director of the Association of Governing Boards' Presidential Search Consultation Service. Guidelines for a search, appointment of a search committee, staffing the search, timetable, and the board's charge to the committee are discussed.…

Lay governing boards must be made up of individuals representing diversity within the community, but not the representative of a single group or purpose, or the board's overall effectiveness, general welfare of the college, and the protection of public trust will be compromised. (MSE)

The best lobbyists for higher education are trustees, whose political power is that they can describe college concerns. Legislators want to know policy costs, who and how it will serve, what evidence there is of success, and who opponents will be and why. (MSE)

The growth of the Association of Governing Boards is described by a past president of the organization, focusing on its services and membership drives since the early 1960s. New issues are identified, including the future of lay governing authority, the need for specialization within the association, and activism. (MSE)